Wild Place ─ A History of Priest Lake, Idaho

Beginning in the 1890s, adventurous souls—a wide cast of homesteaders, prospectors, speculators, and loggers dazzled by its natural resources—tried their best to tame Idaho's Priest Lake. Yet grand turn-of-the-century Western expansion bypassed the area, sparing its idyllic beauty. In 1897 President Cleveland expanded federal influence over the region and introduced an enduring tension between public and private lands. Still, over the ensuing decades industrial and recreational use increased. Timber and summer cottages were in high demand. Devastating wildfires also initiated profound change. Population growth accelerated after World War II, and electricity became commonplace. In 1947 a local newspaper crowed, “Priest Lake has become a cult with many vacationists.” Today, every privately-owned acre and lot represents past optimism, opportunity, hard work, greed, or politics. Wild Place traces those remnants—focusing on little-known yet captivating stories of the colorful characters who navigated Priest Lake's demanding physical, political, and economic challenges.

Kris Runberg Smith is professor of history at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. She earned her Ph.D. in American Studies from Saint Louis University, a M.A. in American History from Washington State University, and a B.A. in Museum Science from University of Idaho. She has written for both academic and popular audiences. She edited Pioneer Voices of Priest Lake for the Priest Lake Museum in 2007. Her family connections to Priest Lake date back to 1897. Tom Weitz is a retired geologist and mining manager. He earned a M.S. degree in Geosciences from the University of Arizona, and a B.S. degree in Geology from Washington State University. Tom first came to Priest Lake in 1959, and now lives at the lake full time with his wife Anne. He has served as president of the Priest Lake Museum Association since 2011.